The present invention relates to an installation for conveying, by air blowing, objects such as, in particular, bottles and/or flasks.
However, although more especially designed for such applications, it can also be applied, for example, to any object having an end in the form of a neck.
At the present time, there are known installations for conveying bottles by air blowing comprising one or more transfer lines into which said bottles are introduced via a loading table.
The latter is equipped, for example, with a rail enabling the bottles to be guided to their transfer line, in which said bottles are propelled by a stream of air generated by a blowing caisson provided above their path.
To prevent the bottles from pushed by one another as they advance over said loading table, it is known to prolong the blowing caisson located at the start of the transfer line above the guide rail with which said table is equipped.
However, such a solution leads to difficulties in gaining access to the table, whereas the latter has to remain easy to reach to permit adjustments, in particular at the time of the numerous tests conducted when the installation is being started up, or in the event of a change in the shape of the bottles.
In addition, in the installations currently in use, in order to make it easier to set the bottles in motion, the pressure in the blowing caisson at the start of the transfer line is higher than the pressure over the rest of the transfer line, this being the case over a distance of several yards, whereas an over-pressure over a shorter distance would be sufficient. This is, then, a source of energy wastage and reduced line efficiency.
It should also be noted that most conveying installations are provided, at the start of the line, with an area for discharging the bottles so as to prevent any jams should an incident occur downstream on the transfer line.
At the present time, for the bottles to reach this discharge area, the pressure has to be maintained in the blowing chamber, at the very least at the start of the line.
However, this mode of operation can lead to numerous problems, particularly if maintaining pressure on the transfer line is incompatible with the type of incident that has occurred.
The object of the present invention is to provide an installation for conveying objects by air blowing that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and that can be more easily adjusted, particularly in the event of changing the format of the bottles to be transported.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an installation for conveying objects by air blowing that makes it easier to carry out testing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an installation for conveying objects by air blowing the energy requirements of which are reduced and the efficiency of which is improved.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an installation for conveying objects by air blowing the operation of which is made more reliable.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will emerge in the course of the description that follows, which is given solely by way of illustration and is not intended to limit same.
The invention relates to an installation for conveying, by air blowing, objects such as, in particular, bottles and/or flasks, having at least one line for transferring said objects, means for loading said line, and blowing means, making it possible to project a stream of air capable of propelling said objects, constituted at least by first blowing means, provided at least partially in the area of said loading means, characterised by the fact that said first blowing means are removable in relation to said loading means, independently of said transfer line.